Hemp Cultivation in the U.S.

As the pioneer of the U.S. hemp industry, we at Nutiva love to sing the praises of hemp. It provides all 20 amino acids (including the 9 essential), as well as essential fatty acids, Omega-6 and Omega-3. One serving of hempseed contains:

In the form of seeds, oil, and protein, it’s easy to add to any diet. With such incredible nutrient benefits, we’re continually frustrated that it’s not legal to grow hemp in the United States so that U.S. farmers can benefit from this amazing crop. At Nutiva, all of our organic hemp is grown in Canada. In addition to providing a nutrient dense superfood, the hemp plant is extremely versatile and can be used to make fabric, paper, building materials, and even auto parts.

It was promising news when the 2014 Farm Bill included an amendment to allow states to grow hemp for research. Per the Farm Bill amendment fifteen states are currently eligible to participate based on their own legislative actions regarding hemp. These states include California, Colorado, Hawaii, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oregon, Utah, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, and West Virginia.

Despite this latest Federal advancement, Kentucky has faced an uphill challenge in moving forward on hemp plantings for research. The state of Kentucky had to sue the Federal Government just to get the seeds to plant after the Italian grown seeds were seized by Federal Customs officials in Louisville, at the direction of the Drug Enforcement Administration, en route to research facilities. After two weeks of legal wrangling between the Kentucky Department of Agriculture and the Federal Government, the 250 lbs. of seed have finally been released and Kentucky is now one step closer to planting.

At Nutiva, we’re cheering on this latest victory that is bringing the U.S. one step closer towards legalization of U.S. industrial hemp.